The centerpiece of the District of Columbia Area Writing
Project (DCAWP) is the Summer Invitational Institute where
identified master teachers from the District of Columbia
metropolitan community participate in five weeks of reading and
writing, reflecting, researching and discussing in preparation
to become teacher leaders.

Summer Institutes Create Teacher Leaders

In the spring, the District of Columbia Area Writing Project
identifies exemplary teachers of writing who represent all grade
levels from kindergarten through university, and all subject
areas from English to Mathematics. These teachers attend
the Summer Institute on the Howard University main campus.
During the Institute, teachers demonstrate their successful
classroom practices, study research, pose their own research
questions, and write extensively. In the process, teachers
rethink their own teaching approaches to benefit their students.
They also prepare to teach fellow teachers during the
academic year.

School Year Programs Extend Learning

During the school year, institute graduates
provide in-service workshops - extended writing and reading
programs - in their local schools and districts. At the
same time, they continue their own professional growth as
researchers, publishing writers, and expert practitioners whose
combined and ongoing scholarship helps them to create more and
more effective learning experiences for their students.

ELIGIBILITY

Teachers in all subject areas from
kindergarten to the university level in District of Columbia area schools are
eligible to apply to DCAWP Summer Invitational Institute.

SELECTION PROCESS

Teachers interested in applying should
contact the DCAWP office. After applications are screened,
selected candidates will be invited for an interview.
Selection of Institute participants will be made by the
director, Summer Institute facilitators, and a team of DCAWP
teacher consultants. Admission and a full scholarship will
be offered to the best qualified applicants.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Participants will be selected on the basis
of teaching excellence, a desire to improve their own writing,
an interest in learning more about how to teach writing and
writing to learn, and an interest and ability to work in
year-round school staff development programs.

BENEFITS TO PARTICIPANTS

DCAWP Institute participants will
receive:

State-of-the-art training in
reading and writing instruction

Six semester hours of graduate
credit from Howard University (without cost)